For me, I think America (Ford and GM specifically) build the most reliable cars. Based on experience with them through friends, family, and ownership in addition to casual observation of the auto industry and world (see below).

My family has 4 American vehicles at the moment.

those 3 pruduce by far the best quality vehicles in the world though compared to korea or w/e and can produce reliable vehicles but all 3 can produce shit, in my opinion there all equal.

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Subaru Impreza RS 2.5L H4 165hp 0-60 in 6.7, WIN!Join the Forza Group

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One thing I've noticed and no Chevy/Dodge or import fan boy has ever really given me a real good answer on is, why do the majority of police forces, taxi companies, and hospitols used Ford Motor Company products as opposed to, say, the cheaper Chevy's and Dodge's?

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Tis a good point.  Sure some police forces and taxi services use Caprice's, but the majority of them are in fact Crown Vic's.

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So if you're tired of the same old story, turn some pages;
I'll be here when you're ready to roll with the changes

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Quote: from Punkrocker 1992 at 10:48 pm on Oct. 5, 2008

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 One thing I've noticed and no Chevy/Dodge or import fan boy has ever really given me a real good answer on is, why do the majority of police forces, taxi companies, and hospitols used Ford Motor Company products as opposed to, say, the cheaper Chevy's and Dodge's?

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Tis a good point. Sure some police forces and taxi services use Caprice's, but the majority of them are in fact Crown Vic's.

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And I never quite got it because the Charger and Impala are cheaper, faster, and more fuel efficient. Probably handle better as well, and the Lord knows front drive > rear drive in less-then-perfect road conditions. Yet, at the same time, police and cab fleets are almost always filled with them.

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Quote: from Punkrocker 1992 at 10:48 pm on Oct. 5, 2008

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 One thing I've noticed and no Chevy/Dodge or import fan boy has ever really given me a real good answer on is, why do the majority of police forces, taxi companies, and hospitols used Ford Motor Company products as opposed to, say, the cheaper Chevy's and Dodge's?

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Tis a good point. Sure some police forces and taxi services use Caprice's, but the majority of them are in fact Crown Vic's.

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Ford has had a near-monopoly on the market for police cruisers because of a preference for its conventional rear-wheel drive, V8 power, and body-on-frame construction, all suitable for police driving techniques. -To quote Wiki, it explains it pretty well why the cars are still to date being used despite the cheaper/better alternatives out there currently. However I do believe that the Chargers are starting to take their hold on the market since they came back with the RWD and V8 Optional.

As for reliability, I think its %90 driver maintenance that determines the cars lifetime, with the %10 being more due to manufacturer problems. There will always be a bad model of even the most 'reliable' cars out there.

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Quote: from ss454 at 10:02 pm on Oct. 5, 2008

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Quote: from Punkrocker 1992 at 10:48 pm on Oct. 5, 2008

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  One thing I've noticed and no Chevy/Dodge or import fan boy has ever really given me a real good answer on is, why do the majority of police forces, taxi companies, and hospitols used Ford Motor Company products as opposed to, say, the cheaper Chevy's and Dodge's?

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 Tis a good point.  Sure some police forces and taxi services use Caprice's, but the majority of them are in fact Crown Vic's.

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Ford has had a near-monopoly on the market for police cruisers because of a preference for its conventional rear-wheel drive, V8 power, and body-on-frame construction, all suitable for police driving techniques. -To quote Wiki, it explains it pretty well why the cars are still to date being used despite the cheaper/better alternatives out there currently. However I do believe that the Chargers are starting to take their hold on the market since they came back with the RWD and V8 Optional.

As for reliability, I think its %90 driver maintenance that determines the cars lifetime, with the %10 being more due to manufacturer problems. There will always be a bad model of even the most 'reliable' cars out there.

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Some of the reliability does come down to brand.  I almost want a Yugo just to find out how bad it was.

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If we are going to be damned lets be damned for what we really are.

Just over 300,000 miles on it. I would say it lasted a good, long time.

As for the cars we have had recently:

1985 Ford Crown Vic Wagon (100k miles) - Really reliable, we have never had any major problems

1986 Toyota Celica GTS (133k miles) - Its running good, but we just got it. The only work its ever had done on it (before we bought it) was a new clutch, and a partial rebuild on the transmission

1994 Ford Taurus (not sure about miles) - We had to replace the radiator on it. My brother totaled it about two weeks later by having two accidents involving deer.

1996 Ford Contour (154k miles when I sold it) - Completely shitty. Radiator was leaking, transmission was dying, burnt oil like none other.

1997 Mercury Cougar (218k miles) - New trans, burns oil, driver side window and interior door handle dont work

We also had a Chevy Wagon, but I can not remember the millage or year of that. It was not a good car. We had the trans replaced on it, it was having problems with the water pump, something was wrong with the brake line. We scrapped it.

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Kids in the back seat can cause accidents.
Accidents in the back seat can cause kids.
Moral: Drive a two seater

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1996 Ford Contour (154k miles when I sold it) - Completely shitty. Radiator was leaking, transmission was dying, burnt oil like none other.  

1997 Mercury Cougar (218k miles) - New trans, burns oil, driver side window and interior door handle dont work

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Sounds like you blew the head gaskets....and the window and interior door handle hardly have anything to do with reliability.

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So if you're tired of the same old story, turn some pages;
I'll be here when you're ready to roll with the changes

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Quote: from drifting at 9:45 pm on Oct. 6, 2008

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1996 Ford Contour (154k miles when I sold it) - Completely shitty. Radiator was leaking, transmission was dying, burnt oil like none other.  

 1997 Mercury Cougar (218k miles) - New trans, burns oil, driver side window and interior door handle dont work  

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Sounds like you blew the head gaskets....and the window and interior door handle hardly have anything to do with reliability.

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I know the handle and window have nothing to do with reliability, but it also has to say SOMETHING about craftsmanship when you cant get out of the car short of climbing over the center console, and using the passenger side door.

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Kids in the back seat can cause accidents.
Accidents in the back seat can cause kids.
Moral: Drive a two seater

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Quote: from ss454 at 2:56 pm on Oct. 7, 2008

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Quote: from drifting at 9:45 pm on Oct. 6, 2008

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1996 Ford Contour (154k miles when I sold it) - Completely shitty. Radiator was leaking, transmission was dying, burnt oil like none other.  

  1997 Mercury Cougar (218k miles) - New trans, burns oil, driver side window and interior door handle dont work
 

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 Sounds like you blew the head gaskets....and the window and interior door handle hardly have anything to do with reliability.

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I know the handle and window have nothing to do with reliability, but it also has to say SOMETHING about craftsmanship when you cant get out of the car short of climbing over the center console, and using the passenger side door.

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Another point is the Contour is European.

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Quote: from ss454 at 10:02 pm on Oct. 5, 2008

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Quote: from Punkrocker 1992 at 10:48 pm on Oct. 5, 2008

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  One thing I've noticed and no Chevy/Dodge or import fan boy has ever really given me a real good answer on is, why do the majority of police forces, taxi companies, and hospitols used Ford Motor Company products as opposed to, say, the cheaper Chevy's and Dodge's?

---

 

 Tis a good point.  Sure some police forces and taxi services use Caprice's, but the majority of them are in fact Crown Vic's.

---

Ford has had a near-monopoly on the market for police cruisers because of a preference for its conventional rear-wheel drive, V8 power, and body-on-frame construction, all suitable for police driving techniques. -To quote Wiki, it explains it pretty well why the cars are still to date being used despite the cheaper/better alternatives out there currently. However I do believe that the Chargers are starting to take their hold on the market since they came back with the RWD and V8 Optional.

As for reliability, I think its %90 driver maintenance that determines the cars lifetime, with the %10 being more due to manufacturer problems. There will always be a bad model of even the most 'reliable' cars out there.

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How could I forget about body-on-frame.  So much easier to fix after an accident.  I can see uni-body cars being destroyed alot in the police field.

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So if you're tired of the same old story, turn some pages;
I'll be here when you're ready to roll with the changes